FrugalNYC

Success Starts with Failure

2011-08-26T11:00:00.005-04:00

Success is the result of failure and like Thomas Edison, in order for us to really succeed we must fail and fail again. Through our failure, we learn to adapt and learn from our personal experiences. Such is the premise Tim Harford draws in his book Adapt Why Success Always Starts with Failure. You can grab a copy of the book from this link (Amazon referral) or from your local library like I did.

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For the majority of the book, I enjoyed reading the stories Harford guides us through. Most of the stories are familiar, if you've kept up with the world, ranging from fighting insurgents in the middle east to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. He also mentions several companies that are successful because they fail, A LOT! He tells us that success and successful ideas are like evolution. Many ideas are necessary, few will succeed and many will fail. Business, biological evolution and economics are all tied together through the idea of success through failure.

In the end, we can take the lessons from the book and put it to work for ourselves. Let us learn to fail without taking it personally. We will learn and grow in that way, just as evolution, economies and successful companies grow.

Have you read this book? Let me know your thoughts on it.

What inspiring or thought provoking books have you read lately? I would love to hear from you.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation) For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

5 Free Songs From iTunes

2011-02-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

Own an American Express card? If so, you can get 5 Free Songs from iTunes. Just buy 5 songs of your choice, from iTunes and American Express will pay you back for the cost of the songs.

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From now through March 15th, you will get reimbursed for the price of any 5 songs plus applicable taxes you purchase from the iTunes store with a registered American Express card. You can register your American Express card here. You'll get the money in about 5 business days. There's nothing written about buying specifically songs, so you may even be able to purchase games for your iPod, iPad or iPhone!

If you've taken advantage of this offer, let us know what you bought!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Free Tickets to The 39 Steps

2010-10-26T12:00:00.026-04:00

We know many of you have enjoyed the complementary Broadway tickets. We are once again giving away two pairs of tickets to a couple of lucky FrugalNYC subscribers! The tickets are for The 39 Steps.

The tickets expire at the end of October, so we are making this very easy for you to win!

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RULES

NYC King Tut Exhibition

2010-10-21T17:45:00.005-04:00

Loren DiBlasi alerted me to a deal at kgbdeals.com for the King Tut Exhibition. We wanted to share this deal so you can save a few dollars, if you were planning on seeing this exhibition.

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Here is what she wrote:

"I am reaching out today to share a great opportunity with you on behalf of kgbdeals. The famed King Tut Exhibition on display in Times Square, NYC will only be here for a little while longer. I thought since you and your readers have expressed interest in exciting opportunities of this kind then you would like to take advantage of our ticket offer to save 40% off the regular price of admission."

Here's the link to the deal.

Have a deal you would like to share? Send us an email at FrugalNYC @ gmail.com

Recommended Book: The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Cheap Pizza and Other tidbits

2010-09-23T08:25:00.003-04:00

I've been finding more and more 99 cent pizza places around midtown lately. A few days ago, I came across a blog post that listed many more that I did not know about. You can find the Dollar Pizza places here, it comes with a map to make it easier for you to find one near you!

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The one I've enjoyed the most is located at 44th Street and 3rd Ave, which is not listed on the above map. This place doesn't have a traditional oven, they have a conveyor belt like cooking contraption that cooks the pizza in about 10 minutes. I usually top the plain slices off with garlic powder and one or two other spices.

Dollar Pizza places I've tried

42 Street and 9th Ave (SE Corner)
41 Street and 9th Ave (NE Corner)
41 Street and 9th Ave (SE Corner)
43 Street, between Lexington and 3rd Ave
44 Street and 3 Ave (SW Corner)
Lexington Ave between 45th and 46th Streets

Enough about Pizza. If you find any cheap eats around midtown, please drop me a line and let me know! Even better, healthy cheap eats would be the best. The corner fruit stands don't count! Eat Well, Be Well - as that NYTimes article says. Though I wouldn't go as far as eating worms.

Some interesting articles I've read recently:

Hope you've all enjoyed your summers! It's officially autumn!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Happy Earth Day 2010

2010-04-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted. For those of you reading this, Thank you for your continued readership and support!

I chose Earth Day to get back from my absence for a reason. Without the little blue planet we live on, nothing we experience would be possible. I believe it is all of our responsibilities to do what we can to extend our stay on this fragile planet.

I'll make this post very brief. Frugality to me means we take as little from this planet as possible, and put back as much as we can. If we each put back more than we take, our world can drastically change for the better.

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Simple Ideas To Help Our Earth

Consume less food - you'll lose weight and save money.
Buy fewer electronics - you can get that iPad if you really want it. Just don't buy 10 other gadgets because others have them.
Use less fuel - Drive less. Use public transportation. Car pool.
Use less water - NYC is lucky to have one of, if not the best, water supply in the world. Don't waste it. Take shorter showers, use water saving devices to help save water.
Use less plastic - less bottled water, more tap. Use less disposable utensil, buy good quality utensils you can use over and over.
Reuse and recycle paper, aluminum and plastic.
Print less - save your information to pdf files instead of printing.
Use the library or rent instead of buying books or DVDs.
Plant a tree, learn to garden and grow your own fruits or veggies.

What ever you are consuming, you can use less. You'll save money and the planet in the process.

You don't have to do much to make a difference. The ideas I listed above are very small steps you can take today. Start today, continue everyday to make our Earth a better place for you, me and all our children.

What about you, what ideas do you have to help save our Earth?

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

8 Creative Uses For Your Mobile Device

2010-03-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

Whether you have an iPhone, Blackberry or just a simple cell phone, you are probably not using your mobile gadget to its full potential. Instead of getting the latest and greatest gadget that everyone is getting, like the iPad, why not figure out new creative uses for your current tech toy? You'll save hundreds of dollars that can be put to better use, like a suit for your next interview!

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Here are 8 uses for your mobile device:

Counter - Have you ever had to count a large number of things, but got interrupted and lost count? Well that will no longer be a problem if you have a calculator function in your phone or PDA device. Just start the calculator, press 1 plus 1 and then keep hitting the "=" button (whatever button that may be on your device) for every additional count. Instant bean counter!
Tip Calculator - One of my cell phones contain a tip calculator. Even if your's does not, as long as the calculator function is there, it's easy to calculate a tip. Just type in the amount and then multiply it by "1.xx" where xx is the percent tip you want to leave.
Watch - I hardly ever use my watch since I always have my Blackberry and phone with me. How many of you actually have a watch that you use to tell time? I bet most of you use your watch more as an accessory than a watch.
Alarm clock - Since most people have a cell phone, you no longer need another alarm clock. Just download your favorite tune to wake up to and you have a customizable alarm clock.
Flash light - I use my blackberry for a night light / flash light. Since it's usually near me, it's easier to find than a regular flashlight which sits in a drawer that never gets put to use.
Password generator and manager - My blackberry has an application that stores passwords and generates secure random passwords. All I ever need is to memorize one password to get into the application and I'll never have to remember hundreds of passwords again! Your iPhone or Droid probably have similar applications, use it!
Draft your next book - no worrying about fonts and typefaces, just type away and you'll soon have your next best seller!
Emergency Phone - old phones can be recycled. If you have an old phone with good battery life, but no longer under contract, you can still use it as an emergency phone. Calling 911 does not require service. I keep one around just in case.

I know some of these are not very creative, but I bet you never thought about using your phones / handhelds for some of the creative uses mentioned above. You probably have creative uses of your own. Please share your ideas in the comments!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

7 Habits to Boost Your Savings

2010-03-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

The savings rate for US households has steadily gone up in the last couple of years. One benefit to the Great Recession is that it makes people think about what is necessary and putting everything else in the nice to have category. Ask any personal finance blogger, and you will get a list of ways to save and boost your savings rate. Here is my take on some habits that can help you boost your savings, so you can get what you really want in the near future.

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Seven Habits Of Saving:

Use your neighborhood library for books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, video games and all sorts of entertainment. I bet you didn't know half that list was offered by the NYC library system.
Eat home cooked meals. Bring food from home. Doing this can save you an average of $50 to $70 a week, assuming your lunch costs around $10 to $15 each. Yes, you can find cheaper fare, such as the $1 pizza slice I tweeted about several months ago, but how much pizza can you really eat? Home cooked / prepared is usually much healthier to boot!
Commute by mass transit. Living in NYC has many benefits, one of which is having a very good public transportation system. Yes we all gripe about it from time to time, but if you journey to other cities and compare their mass transit options, you'll know you are getting a good bargain using the trains and buses. Compare the monthly cost of an unlimited metrocard to driving back and forth to work, you'll most likely save $100 or more a month since you don't pay for insurance, upkeep, gas, parking and other car related expenses. That's at least $1200 a year you are saving on travel compared to a car owner.
New Yorkers love to shop. If you are one to shop for clothing quite often, you should cut back or scale down. Shop less, shop for only items you need, shop for basics that you can mix and match. Buying the latest in fashion trends can cost you thousands every year. If you can't help but buy name brands, I suggest you check out outlets, thrift shops and other such stores. They often have goods at half the cost you would normally spend.
Love Music? Who doesn't? Music can get expensive though. Thanks to technology, you can find your favorite music free! You've probably used Pandora or other related sites for music. Online radio, regular FM radio, your existing CD/MP3 collection, are some other ways to enjoy music for no cost at all.
Use coupons and sales whenever possible. I've gotten items free, and sometimes I even get a little money back from buying things on sale, with a coupon. It doesn't happen often, but every little bit helps in this economy, and especially those still on the lookout for a job. So stop throwing out your Sunday circulars and save the coupons. You can also print coupons from sites such as coupons.com or redplum.com.
Don't buy new gadgets, I tend to use my existing doodads to its full extent. Those of you with the latest Blackberry or iPhone probably only use certain features. Don't forget to use it as a temporary night light/flash light, alarm clock, notepad, calculator, etc.. Before you buy your next App, check out what's already there.

Do you have any suggestions for habits that can boost your savings rate? I'd love to hear your ideas.

5 Tax and Money Savings Tips

2010-03-05T10:00:00.002-05:00

Tax time is almost here. If you are getting a refund, you should have filed already! If you are going to be paying taxes because you did not withhold enough, here are some tips to minimize that payment. Even if you cannot use all these tips for this tax season, they will come in handy for next year's tax season.

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Give Giving really can be rewarding. Not only do you feel good about giving to the causes you believe in, you also get some money back from Uncle Sam. If you've given to your church, charities or other non-profit organizations - all you need is the receipt and you can deduct the amount you gave. If you need ideas, I can suggest the NYC Libraries, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Red Cross, your local church, museums and numerous other charities.

Deduct Job hunting expenses If you are looking for a job, and these days it seems like half the people I know are, then you should not forget about deducting your expenses. These can include printing resumes, transportation to and from interviews, cell phone bills, suits and other clothing for interviews. The catch is, you need to be looking for a similar line of work.

Go Green. Many people in the recent past have bought a Toyota Prius and get a deduction. But going green doesn't stop there. If you put a good amount of money into your home to improve energy efficiency such as heating or cooling systems, insulation, or alternative energy sources such as solar, you can get a nice tax credit on your return for that year.

Educate Yourself. Continuing your education can be good for your future earnings and your wallet. There are tax credits and deductions for you to take. Interest from student loans are deductable from your return as well. If you have a large enough loan, this can be pretty significant.

Tax Preparation. Books, classes, software and tax preparation services are deductible on your tax return as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. It's easy to find this tip using software such as Taxcut or TurboTax.

What tax savings tips do you have to share? What deductions and savings are you taking this year?

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

photo by alancleaver_2000

Free Photo Books Every Month

2010-02-26T09:30:00.001-05:00

Do you have a ton of photos living online on Facebook, Flickr, your blog and a ton of photo sharing sites? Sharing it online is great, but sometimes its nice to have a physical photo to pass around at party. Wouldn't it be great if you can print it for free?

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Some of you may have signed up to photo sites because they had a "deal" that gave you free photo prints or other photo goodies. Today I wanted to share my latest discovery, HotPrints. How would you like to get photo books printed for FREE, one every month! The best part, if you live in the US, UK or Canada, shipping is free too!

I have not tried the service yet, but will be signing up and giving it a go! If you are on Facebook, you may have seen them already. Their primary product is HotBook, which is the free product. This sounds too good to be true right? How do they make money? Well, they sell advertisements, so you will see some ads in your free HotBook. Is it worth it? I think so, but I leave that judgement up to you. Have a question about their product? They're on Twitter too!

Have you tried HotPrints? If you have I'd love to hear what you think of their product.

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Are You Getting A Tax Refund?

2010-02-22T11:00:00.001-05:00

Are you expecting a tax refund this year? The average tax refund is $2700 this year.

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If you are getting a refund of $2700 or more, perhaps you should adjust your W4 withholdings for 2010 and keep more of your hard earned money. Instead of giving Uncle Sam an interest free loan, you could be giving yourself $50 more a week. Just make changes to your W4 and you are on your way to a self provided raise! You can use the IRS's W4 withholding calculator to do this.

There are reasons to withhold a bit more. If you under pay Uncle Sam, you'll be charged interest and perhaps even a penalty. If you are making estimated quarterly taxes because you are an independent contractor or in similar situations, then perhaps you should withhold a little more so you don't get penalized next year.

So tell us, are you getting or expecting a refund this year?

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Thunder Ridge Ski Resort

2010-02-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

We've had a good amount of snow this winter in NYC. Some of you have gone skiing and some may have even taken advantage of the snowfall and went cross country skiing in the streets! If you have never tried skiing or are just a beginner, like myself, you will love this deal. No car necessary!

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Thunder Ridge Ski is just 70 miles north of the city in Patterson, New York. Thunder Ridge Ski Area's scenic slopes are perfect for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, from beginner to expert. There are slow and gentle trails, which I would be on, as well as advanced trails to challenge the adventurous!

You can find a great package from the Metro North One Day Getaway. The Day package includes: Discount round-trip rail fare, all-day/all-night lift ticket, shuttle to/from the train station to the ski area and a $5 discount on rental equipment. If you have kids, this is an even better deal.

Cost:
From Grand Central Terminal or Harlem-125th Street: adults, $51.50; seniors, $35; children 12, $39.50; children 6-11, $19.50; children age 5, $6.50; children under 5, $5. Save an additional 5 percent on rail fare when you purchase this package through WebTicket.

To get there:
Take the Harlem Line to to Patterson Station where a shuttle bus meets designated a.m. trains to take you to the ski area. Later in the day (or the following day for "Ski and Stay" package), a shuttle bus will return you to Patterson Station to meet designated p.m. trains returning to Grand Central Terminal. Check here for an ITINERARY.

I'm thinking of doing the Metro North Package. Have you been to Thunder Ridge? Did you enjoy your time there? Did you use the Metro North Package? Please share your experience with us in the comments.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

12 Frugal Ways To Burglarproof Your Home

2010-02-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

Technology is not the the only way to protect yourself from burglars and would be thieves. Sure you can spend thousands of dollars on a security system, but you can have peace of mind for less. Jeff Cambron wrote a post about ways to burglar proof your home without breaking the bank at mrfreestuff.com called 16 Ways to Burglarproof your house for Free. I took his list and cut out a few items, making it more relevant for urban city dwellers.

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12 Frugal Ways To Burglarproof Your Home

Take your name off your mailbox - No name equals no target.
Watch what you put in the trash - Shred important documents and cut up boxes to big purchase items like computers and big screen TVs
Ringing telephone - A ringing phone equals nobody home. Silence your home phone when you are not home for long periods.
Lock-up when you go out - Common sense, lockup when you are out.
Don’t hide a spare key - Don't invite a thief by leaving your door fully open, which is what a hidden spare key is.
Light up your house - Leave a light or two on when going out. Not energy efficient, but is a theft deterrant.
Be careful with voice mail messages - Don't tell would be thieves when you are on vacation. Leave your voicemail simple, ask for a quick message - and check in.
Leave the radio or TV on - Leave a low power radio or tv on for sounds that make it seem like someone is home.
Use a house-sitter - Having someone actually in the house is the best way to deter a burglar.
Start a neighborhood watch program - Get a group friendly neighbors together and help each other out.
Pause mail and newspaper deliveries - A full mailbox or unread papers are a sure sign no one is home.
Stock up on some cardboard cutouts - If you've watched Home Alone, you know how to use cardboard cutouts.

What other frugal and cheap methods do you have to burglarproof your home? Share your ideas in the comments.

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

File Your Taxes With Help From Cupid

2010-02-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

Nothing is certain but death and taxes. We can't avoid either one, but we can make filing our taxes less taxing on the wallet. H&R Block is promoting their new H&R Block At Home online product for only $14, from now until Sunday February 14. They are showing us all some love.

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I've noticed a number of giveaways for online versions of tax software on numerous personal finance blogs. If you are like me and missed those giveaways, you can wait for others, or you can take advantage of this offer from H&R Block. I'm definitely thinking about taking the offer, since it is a 70% savings off regular pricing on the Premium product.

I've used the H&R PC products for numerous years and have found it to be a solid product. PC magazine rates H&R Block a close second to Turbo Tax, which has always taken the lead. The advantage of H&R Block is, it is a bit less pricy than Turbo Tax, and I find it just as good.

You can register for the $14 offer from now until Valentines day, February 14th. Doing so will lock-in the price and you won't have to actually DO your taxes until you are ready; as long as it's before the tax man comes knocking. Hopefully you'll be getting your refund check sooner with this offer. You can even get your tax questions answered free at http://getitright.hrblock.com/.

You can register for this special offer at http://www.hrblock.com/valentine.

As consumers, we will receive the full menu of advanced features that H&R Block At Home Basic, Deluxe and Premium offer, such as:

Audit support from a live tax professional
Import last year's tax data from TurboTax® or TaxCut®
Automatic import of data from your employer and financial provider
Tailored guidance for your personal situation or occupation
Easy-to-use tax calculator

What do you think about this offer? Do you do your own taxes with Tax software? What product do you use and why? Share your thoughts.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Earning More With Online Banks

2010-02-05T09:30:00.002-05:00

Are you earning 0.01% interest on your savings account? Thanks to historically low interest rates, you are probably earning near zero interest on the money you worked hard to earn. Have you looked into online savings accounts? I've noticed more and more online savings accounts popping up lately and I think you may like the extra interest it can earn you.

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I joined ING Direct several years ago and have loved it since joining. It has earned more money in interest than any of my other bank accounts. They have great customer service, and they have nearly all the services a physical bank has, though you may have to get the services in a more creative way.

So what kind of interest can you earn with Online savings accounts? Recently I saw these rates:

All three have very low minimum requirements to open an account. These three are some of the highest paying accounts I've seen. Compare this to the 0.01% you are getting from Chase, yes that's 1% of a percent. Just by opening an online bank account, you'll be earning 100x more interest! I also noticed CapitalOne Direct Banking, which offers Business and personal accounts at over 1% APY

OK, I admit there are reasons for not using online bank accounts. In fact About.com lists 3 reasons not to use online bank accounts. The reasons are: bad customer service, speed of clearing, and not being able to spend it from your online bank account.

These are good reasons, though I find them all to be false, at least for ING Direct. I find ING Direct to have great customer service. You get someone live nearly instantly, every time you call. The speed of clearing checks can be a drawback, though you can get around it if you plan a little bit ahead. As for spending your money, ING's Electric Orange checking account lets you access your cash instantly via ATMs in your neighborhood. I've also recently called Ally bank to find out about it. The customer service seems just as friendly as ING Direct.

If you are thinking of opening an online bank account, what bank will you go with and why? Want to join ING Direct? Find a friend with an account and you'll earn a bonus just to sign up. If you don't have a friend with an ING Direct account, send me a tweet and I'll send you a referral, we'll both earn a bonus!

Shouldn't your money be earning you a little more pocket change in the Great Recession? What are your thoughts on online bank accounts?

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

9 Books To Bring You Closer To Success

2010-02-01T10:00:00.008-05:00

Do you read a lot of books? What about books on success and productivity? I admit I read more than I should when it comes to these topics. I should be putting some of the concepts into practice. Had I put all of the lessons learned in these books into practice, I'm sure I would be more successful at what I do. So like many of you, I'm still learning and doing what I can to apply the lessons I learn.

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Here are the books. I've arranged the nine books in a tic-tac-toe format, or the Brady Bunch format if you prefer. Aren't you glad I still remember how to do tables in HTML? These books used to be on my sidebar, I decided to do some cleaning up and so I'm putting them on this post.

These are all great books. At the moment, my favorite book from the above list is The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content. This version contains additional content found on Tim Ferriss' blog along with testimonials from others who used some of the concepts and achieved success. It gives you a blueprint of how to make the best use of your time so you can do the more important things in life, whatever that may be.

If you love reading, you might want to get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation). I think it's a better product than the Apple iPad for reading books.

What about you? Have you read any of the books from the above list? What is your favorite? Do you have other books you would like to suggest?

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

12 Free Ebook Download And Search Sites

2010-01-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

With the Advent of the Apple iPad, the ebooks market is getting more crowded. The Amazon Kindle has remained the leader up until now. Sony, Barnes & Noble among many others will be upgrading or joining this joyride. Buying the device can cost you a bit of pocket change, luckily ebooks are cheaper than the paper alternatives. An even better option is to find FREE ebooks.

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To help you find more FREE ebooks than you can read in a lifetime, I've put together a list of sites that either host the books themselves or helps you search for the books. Project Gutenberg is probably the most widely known. Most of you have also heard about Google digitizing books. Below you will find links to these and more.

What sites do you use to download or find Ebooks?

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

Love Reading? Get the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation)

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Food, Entertainment and Free Events

2010-01-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

Looking for some Free events in NYC for this week? You'll sure to enjoy at least one of these events.

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Enjoy great food at your favorite restaurant during Restaurant Week. Need another reason to dine out? If having three courses for the price of one isn't enough; you'll get a $15 statement credit if you dine out three or more times at any participating restaurants during NYC Restaurant Week. Just pay with your registered American Express Card.
Jaliya Kafo, Master kora player and BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) Award winner, performs at David Rubentein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Thursday January 28, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Marine Mammal Watch: The beach may be empty of all its human swimmers, but don't forget about the seals, whales, and dolphins! Come learn about local marine mammals and try and catch a glimpse of them. Saturday, January 30, 2010 11:00 a.m. Coney Island Beach (Boardwalk at West 10th Street)
Advanced Hiking: Hike at a vigorous pace through the Inwood forest to Dyckman fields and over to Fort Tryon. Bring proper footwear and prepare for a challenge. Inwood Hill Nature Center, Inwood Hill Park (Enter park at West 218th Street and Indian Road) Manhattan. Saturday, January 30, 2010 10:00 a.m.
Birds of "Paradise": A walk through this diverse habitat to see winter waterfowl, shorebirds, and many forest dwellers. Binoculars recommended. Powell's Cove Park, Intersection of 130th Street and 11th Avenue, Queens. Sunday, January 31, 2010 11:00 a.m.

Know of any other upcoming events coming soon? Share them with us in the comments. If you would like to contribute or guest post on FrugalNYC, email or send us a tweet.

Recommended Books:

2010 New York City Restaurants (ZAGAT Restaurant Guides)

Not for Tourists 2010 Guide to New York City (Not for Tourists Guidebook)

Frommer's NYC Free & Dirt Cheap (Frommer's Free & Dirt Cheap)

If you love Reading, you may be interested in the Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device (9.7" Display, Global Wireless, Latest Generation). Largest screen size on a Kindle yet!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Dine Out For Haiti

2010-01-22T11:30:00.003-05:00

Many of the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week are also participating in Dine Out For Haiti. This is a great way to support and help those in Haiti via Action Against Hunger, Doctors Without Borders and Partners in Health. I'm sure many of you have done your part to help out the fundraisers for Haiti. This is another small step we can all take, and this doesn't cost you a dime if you are already dining out.

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Lists of participating restaurants for Dine Out For Haiti

Eater NY has compiled a list of restaurants participating. This list has a map showing locations of the restaurants.
Open Table also has a great list of participating restaurants. You'll find the restaurant name, neighborhood, type of cuisine and price point for each of the participating restaurants.
TimeOut New York also has compiled a list of participating restaurants. This list includes names of restaurants, dates of participation, how much they are donating and other types of donations that are accepted.

There are many other ways to contribute to this disaster relief. Many do not cost you much, such as Swagbucks' Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund Donation. You can donate your Swagbucks to help this cause. If you're not a member of Swagbucks, you can sign up here - Free (you earn points for cash and prizes just by searching). You should find out how much of your donation actually goes to helping those in Haiti. Direct donations to the American Red Cross or Doctors without Borders are two of the best ways to help this disaster relief.

Haiti has always been a country in need, and it is more so now than ever. To read more about Haiti, you can check out some of these books.

Haiti Related Books:

2010 Winter Restaurant Week Kicks Off

2010-01-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

Restaurant Week kicks off on Monday January 25, 2010 in NYC. Due to it's popularity and the Great Recession, it is once again 2 weeks, from January 25th to February 7th. There are some new additions this year.

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This year, there are 260 restaurants participating. Some new additions include dell'anima, SD26 and Breslin Bar & Dining Room (in the Ace hotel). In addition, there is a new Restaurant Week Truck making rounds across the city serving soups from 24 of the participating restaurants. The truck will run week days only from 11 am to 2 pm January 25th - February 5. To find out where the truck is you can check nycgo.com or via twitter

Prices for three-course lunches are $24.07 and dinners are $35. So those of us who have been saving up and eating out less, pick a good restaurant and try it while the prices are low!

Make reservations early, as the best restaurants fill up fast! Bon Appétit!

Recommended Books:

Upcoming Free Events & Winner of Business Card Giveaway

2010-01-18T09:30:00.004-05:00

The winner of the Business Card Giveaway is Jessica. Congratulations Jessica!

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I know many of you read FrugalNYC for the freebies in NYC, so here are a number of them for this week!

January 19, 2010 11 am to 3 pm - Wave Hill - Winter Workspace Drop-in Program: Spinning & Knitting Wool. OK, so you're not into spinning or knitting? Wave Hill is still a great place to visit. Admission free on Tuesdays and Saturdays until noon.
January 21, 2010 from 12 noon to 1 pm - Catch Cast members from the Broadway show Memphis, at The Pond
January 21, 2010 at 8:30 pm - Michael Arenella and His Hot Eight at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

Hope you enjoy these events.

Recommended Books:

Frommer's New York City 2009 (Frommer's Complete)

The Best Things to Do in New York City: 1001 Ideas

Fodor's New York City 2010 (Full-Color Gold Guides)

The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Five Free and Frugal Things To Do This Weekend

2010-01-15T09:00:00.006-05:00

Happy Friday everyone. Looking for something free or frugal to do this weekend? Here are five things you may want to check out.

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Go to Dylan's Candy Bar, if you have a sweet tooth, this will be your favorite destination. It is quite different from most candy stores.
Visit Grand Central and check out the Transit Museum's 8th annual Holiday Train Show! It is available until 1/18/09.
While you are at Grand Central, check out the whispering gallery of Grand Central Terminal. Read more about it at NewYorkology.
If you like tech and gadgets, go visit the Sony Wonder Technology Lab. This is where I'll be heading to this weekend. You'll enjoy a couple hours of fun for FREE.
Take the Roosevelt Island Tram. You'll get a bird's eye view of the East river that you can't get any other way. It costs the same as a subway ride.

What low cost activities can you suggest for this weekend?

Today is the final day to enter the Business Cards Giveaway.

Recommended Books:

This Wednesday's Unemployment Chat

2010-01-08T10:07:00.004-05:00

Thanks to BudgetPulse, we had another great chat this Wednesday January 6, 2010 at 7 PM EST 4 PM PST. I co-hosted this week and we discussed the topic of Unemployment.

Unemployment is one of the largest global issues right now, not just in the US. Below are some of the questions, topics and things discussed during the Twitter chat session.

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Items Discussed

Stimulus plans are more about winning votes than savig the economy
Friend on unemployment is changing sectors.
do you run the risk of being a job hopper? How long should you stay at the job you didn't want?
Stimulus $ was intentionally backloaded to match up w/election years. If situation so dire, why not spend all right away?!
Not even all the fed stimulus spending has really rolled out yet.... apparently only 30% has. Job Growth more over 2010, 2011.
If you can make more through unemployment than a job you are offered should you take the job or stay unemployed?
Some people think they'll only be unemployment a few weeks, but that may turn into a few months (or longer)
California employment doesn't seem to be improving - apparently unemployment there is 12+%
Important to know that unemployment benefits are only about 50 - 70% of your most recent salary/wages
Emergency Fund
Health Care Alternatives
HSA - Health Savings Account
High Deductible plans
Mandatory health care
Many go without and then end up paying if a catastrophe of sorts does hit.
COBRA, but it can be expensive #bp High risk pools in most states. Individual and family plans exist too.
Business Startup Fund
When to file for unemployment.
Right Away - after you are given notice and are qualified. Same day is best since it takes a few weeks to kick into effect
In these days of freelancing and contract "employees" not everyone qualifies for unemployment
If ur fired for just cause, or not showing up to work you can't just collect it. For some reason people think this
it's important to note that you don't automatically qualifty for unemployment
I agree and think that happens to a lot of ppl. By the time they file and get in funds their finances are already wrecked.
What would you do if you were laid off today?
Become a person of Value
Career Plan
Review Expenses and Budget
Emergency Fund
Plan ahead for Unemployment
Family Savings Rate
Weigh upside of your expenses before cutting them
Unemploytrepreneurs should consult pro re impact on benefits. 1099 work; controlling forprofit legal entity raise ?s

What expenses to cut?

Entertainment and Dining out
Cable TV - More value from internet than from TV
Cut Expenses now, don't wait till you are unemployed
Cheaper shampoo
Downgrade internet
Figure out what value you get before cutting. Are you willing to give it up?
Make sure what you cut does least damage in your life
New Clothes
Gourmet ingredients for cooking
small things that add up - coffee, bagel, magazine, gum
Eating out. Anything monthly - examine it.
Cut back on cell phone plan or go prepaid
Magazines
What not to cut? Gym

Getting re-employed

Personal Branding
pink slip parties, volunteering, social networking, asking people for "informational interviews" on their job/career paths
networking in the same group is a no go. Connecting groups has value though
Talk to people via phone not just via net
there is a lot of empty networking where people just bring business cards. Why not just bring a phonebook
LinkedIn and Facebook
Build your network for potential job leads before you actually need them. Social media a great place to start.
Sometimes it's not who you know but what you know
a couple killer recommendation letters are always a major plus. It's who you know. Annoying but true.
networking at local events was the best way to get job leads. Also helps to build long term relationships.
Look for work internationally
a lot of young professionals are taking jobs in China.

People who joined in this week

@BudgetPulse @FrugalNYC @moneystrands
@FrugalDad @enemyofdebt @freefrombroke
@EverydayFinance @clarifinancial @RainyDaySaver
@BSimple @skduck2003 @jesssteyers
@MoneyEnergy @extremejacob @SpendOnLife
@BudgetsAreSexy @B4UInvest @thedavidbeach
@KWdesignonline @Matt_SF @FabFinclySav
@patreniaspears @chrisnooney @fiscalgeek
@JonMorrow @CraigKessler @MoneyCrashers @newNYers

If you would like to join us for future Personal Finance chats, the #bp chats take place every Wednesday at 7 PM EST 4 PM PST and usually lasts an hour. You can also follow along with this PF-Chat list I created on Twitter.

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.
Business Card Giveaway: Don't forget to enter our Business Card Giveaway. It will help you network or build your new business.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

FrugalNYC - UPrinting Business Cards Giveaway

2010-01-06T18:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome back to FrugalNYC. Today we are giving away a set of 250 Business Cards from UPrinting.com to coincide with the Twitter Chat session regarding Unemployment. I hope these cards will help you network your way into a new job or new business of your own!

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Rules

It's very simple to enter, just leave a comment on this post telling us how you will be using the set of business cards if you win. Be creative!
Make sure you send an email or twitter DM with contact info to me so I can notify you when you win. Basically, make sure I can find you if you win. Otherwise, an alternate winner will be selected.
To get additional entries, Tweet or blog about this giveaway. Make sure to send me a link :)

Winner

The Winner will be selected on January 15, 2010 and will be announced shortly thereafter both on this blog and via Twitter.

Details, Details...

Here are some details to the prize:

Giveaway Prize: 250 Business Cards for one (1) lucky winner

Size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)

Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock

Shipping: Winners have to pay for shipping (as will I since I'll be getting a set of 250 for this giveaway)

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs

UPrinting.com will be providing me a set as part of this giveaway, I'll be making very good use of it myself - building connections and hopefully growing business for my tech services.

Good luck to all and I hope your New Year has started out on the right track!

Elsewhere

10 Ways To Free Up Disk Space Quickly

Recommended Books:

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T23:59:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year!! Thank you for visiting and your continued readership of FrugalNYC!

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2009 has been a roller coaster year for me and I'm sure for many of you as well. Much of that ride has been rocky and unexpected. Looking forward to 2010, I hope to accomplish much more and find better direction for many aspects of my life. I'm still contemplating on what roads to take going forward. As for FrugalNYC as a blog, I'm looking to include more of you readers in my posts.

As a wrap-up of 2009, here are the top 10 visited blog posts of 2009 for FrugalNYC.

Many of you voiced your opinion on Giveaways, I will be very happy to do more of them. In order to do more, I also need to grow the readership and participation. That is why I have decided to include your voices in future posts. I'll be doing reader interviews, getting more opinions from fellow bloggers and looking for more bloggers who would like to do guest posts on FrugalNYC.

I want to thank all our sponsors for the giveaways on FrugalNYC in 2009, this includes UPrinting.com, Metropolitan Opera, Season Of Savings, ZulaWorld.com, Workman Press and H&R Block. Also a big thank you to all our partners who link to us and help us in many ways. They include The405Club, many great folks on Twitter, Craig of BudgetPulse, Hennie, Chris of Lifestyle Project, Jay Frawley (are you still around?), I can go on for a long time. I will thank each one of you individually!

Most of all, I want to thank my family and YOU! Please continue to help spread the word about FrugalNYC, especially if you like the content or find it helpful. Tell your best friend, your co-workers, fellow bloggers, your neighbors or anyone else who you think would find this blog helpful. If you would like to get involved or help FrugalNYC, send me a tweet, dm, or email!

Looking forward to speaking to you all.
-Qi , Blogger - FrugalNYC

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.